Scholz opposes supplying Ukraine with Taurus missiles due to the possibility of attacks on the Crimean bridge
The German Chancellor is concerned that the Ukrainian Armed Forces could hit the Crimean bridge with long-range missiles, so there will be no Taurus deliveries to Ukraine in the near future.
The German government has no plans to supply the long-range Taurus cruise missiles that the Ukrainian army has been asking for so persistently, the German newspaper Bild wrote on Wednesday evening, October 4, citing its own sources in the German and Ukrainian authorities.
According to the article, Ukraine had hoped that the Taurus would arrive in the fall of this year at the latest. These hopes were fostered by statements by German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius, Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock, and Finance Minister Christian Lindner. However, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz remains opposed to such supplies.
The journalists note that Germany did not formally refuse the Ukrainian government’s request, but made it clear that it would not provide the Taurus at this time. According to them, in this way Scholz leaves a theoretical possibility for the future, albeit an extremely unlikely one.
Scholz is afraid of a Taurus attack on the Crimean bridge
Kyiv has been asking Germany for long-range missiles since May, after the UK and France sent Storm Shadow and Scalp, which are already helping to hit targets at long range during the Ukrainian Armed Forces’ (UAF) counteroffensive.
According to Bild, last week at an internal meeting of the Foreign Affairs Committee, Scholz was asked why the UK and France were supplying missiles while Germany continued to refuse. According to the participants, the Chancellor replied that these countries “can do what we are not allowed to do, so there is no question.” According to the newspaper, Scholz meant that both countries provide geodata on missile targets directly to Ukraine, with Britain also using its own personnel on the ground.
